Containers with a hinged lid are often referred to as flip top boxes. Such flip top boxes are used for numerous storing purposes. One example of a flip top box is disclosed in WO 02/26571. The flip-top box disclosed therein is provided by folding a blank into a container which has a latching means between the body of the carton and the lid to latch the lid in a closed condition after use. The latching comprises a latching flap as a part of an additional inner or internal wall or panel and a catch member attached to the lid panel when the carton is assembled. The internal panel also has a panel which is attachable to the front wall and has lines of weakness. The carton blank has frangible membranes between the lid and the body of the carton which is severed on first opening of the carton to a tamper evident feature.
The latching means in WO02/26751 is formed by an extension of a container part (a latch part) attached to the front panel at the bottom and folded backwardly along a folding line. The bottom of the flip-top box of WO02/26751 is formed by folding three flaps (each connected respectively to the bottom of a side panel or a rear panel) resulting in that a slit-opening is provided along the bottom folding line in the front panel. Such a slit-opening is often undesired as it provides access to the interior of the container.
In addition, folding the blank disclosed in WO02/26751 to form a container has shown to be a delicate process inter alia as the latch part is attached to the front panel at the bottom and has to be folded twice: one time to arrange the latch part flush with inner surface of the front panel of the container, and one time to position an upper section of the latch part in between the inner surface of the front panel and the section of the latch part extending from the bottom and upwardly—this rendering it impracticable to produce containers from blank in a horizontal cartoning machine.
Thus, a container made from a blank as disclosed in WO/02/26751 may be difficult to produce and the container as such cannot be closed effectively in the bottom and top as the top and bottom both are provided with slit-opening.
While current containers of the flip top box type find great use, they often also suffer from the drawback of being difficult to re-close. The difficulties experienced is inter alia, that when the lid is rotated towards its closing position, the closing operation may become obstructed by the elements of the container which are intended to be situated inside lid after closing blocking the passage of the lid towards its closing position.
Hence, an improved blank would be advantageous, and in particular a blank from which a container providing a more efficient and/or reliable reclosing of the container would be advantageous.
It would also be advantageous to provide a blank for a flip-top container, which would be easily folded using a horizontal cartoning machine.